No information about BSP MP’s threat allegation: CBI director

New Delhi, July 22 (IANS) Vijay Shankar, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director, Tuesday said he has no information about allegations made by a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP that the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was issuing threats through the bureau to coerce him into voting for the government. “I have no information on this as I have not listened to the allegations. These are serious allegations and were made on the floor of the house,” Shankar told IANS.

“The house is absolutely sacrosanct and whatever action has to be taken, will be taken by the speaker,” Shankar said.

Asked if the CBI was conducting an internal enquiry, he said: “No outsider can take any action if something is said in parliament.”

Brajesh Pathak, the BSP MP from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, alleged that on Tuesday morning, CBI officials came to his house and said if he didn’t vote in favour of the government a case would be filed against him.

As soon as Pathak made the charge, a united opposition, including Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Basudev Acharya, stood up to demand action.

In the din that followed, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta said as a complaint had been made in the house, it should take “cognisance of the matter”.

“The house should take suo motu action. This is a serious allegation. It has nothing to do with the vote. I want the house to take cognisance and set up a house committee here and now,” he said.

The BSP had earlier announced that it would go against the UPA government in the trust vote Tuesday.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said he would consider the demand and assured Pathak that he would be protected and he should vote in the confidence motion according to his conscience.